Tech blog: Job cuts at Qualcomm

Company declines to comment on layoffs but has said it would control expenses

A technology industry website reports that Qualcomm is cutting jobs as part of its efforts to keep a lid on expenses.

GigaOM cited unnamed sources in its report, which said the San Diego company is trimming middle management positions. It did not list a specific number of jobs on the chopping block, but GigaOm did say one division had lost 100 workers.

Qualcomm employs 31,000 workers worldwide, according to its annual report.

A Qualcomm spokeswoman said Thursday the company had no comment. The company has not filed Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) paperwork with state officials, which is required for a layoff of 50 or more employees within a 30-day period.

During its quarterly earnings report this month, Qualcomm executives painted a strong long-term growth picture. But they said they expect slower growth rates over the next six months, thanks in part to pricing pressure stemming from Samsung’s and Apple’s dominant market share in the smartphones. The two behemoths can demand volume discounts from suppliers such as Qualcomm.

Qualcomm expects growth to accelerate later in 2014 as more 4G LTE networks launch worldwide, particularly in China.